1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooking device, and more particularly, to a disposable container for frying food in cooking oil.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many designs for frying devices have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include a disposable container of a conductive material, for frying food that is shaped to snugly fit within a frying basket. The disposable container is made of a heat resistant conductive material, which may withstand extreme temperatures to cook when frying. Additionally, the conductive material increases heat intensity to cook more rapidly with less energy than conventional frying devices.
Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,175 issued to Moreth for Fry basket with lever-operated lid and fine mesh disposable basket liners. Moreth teaches a fry basket and liner apparatus for immersion in cooking oil in a fryer, including a fry basket formed of wire basket mesh for retaining items to be cooked.
The instant invention is a container for frying food, however, the instant invention comprises a housing having a non-conductive substrate, and a conductive layer. The conductive layer is disposed on the non-conductive substrate surface, which is suitable for contact with food. The non-conductive substrate surface and conductive layer are laminated to a material such as paper, paperboard or cellophane, which is suitable for contact with cooking oil and food, and is durable to withstand extreme cooking temperatures. Heat energy on such a housing of the instant invention induces conductivity within the conductive layer. Conductivity is dissipated by the resistance of the conductive layer as heat energy, which may be conducted into food articles placed within the housing.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.
A container for frying food primarily comprising, a non-conductive substrate surface and a conductive layer. The conductive layer is disposed on the non-conductive substrate surface, wherein the non-conductive substrate surface and the conductive layer are laminated to a heat resistant material. The heat resistant material is suitable for contact with the cooking oil and food. Furthermore, the heat resistant material provides structural integrity to form a housing that may withstand extreme cooking temperatures when submerged in cooking oil.
The non-conductive substrate surface, conductive layer, and heat resistant material are shaped to form the housing, which fits within a frying basket, and in turn, the frying basket fits within a cooking container for frying or deep frying.
In the preferred embodiment, the housing comprises first and second walls parallel and equally spaced apart from each other a first predetermined distance by third and fourth walls, whereby each of the walls have a plurality of through-holes to allow cooking oil to enter and exit the housing. The first, second, third, and fourth walls perpendicularly disposed to a base. The plurality of through-holes are a second predetermined distance from the base to allow the cooking oil to exit the housing while maintaining extracts from food to remain within the housing. Extracts from food may include, but are not limited to, crumbs, solid fat, and oils.
The heat resistant material is suitable for contact with the cooking oil and food An additional characteristic of the instant invention is that the container is disposable.
It is therefore one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a disposable container for frying food that allows for multiple reuse of cooking oil and increased life span of the oil.
It is another object of this invention to provide a disposable container for frying food that utilizes less energy consumption for cooking.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a more efficient disposable container for frying food that decreases cooking time.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a disposable container for frying food that cooks food crispier than conventional cooking methods.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness.
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.